Package display rack



Nov. 5, 1968 w. WOOLF PACKAGE DISPLAY RACK Filed Oct. 6. 1966 INVENTOR. lRl l/VGMWOOLF 8,?

United States PatentO 3,409,140 PACKAGE DISPLAY RACK Irving W. Woolf, 510 N. Dearborn, St., Chicago, Ill. 60610 Filed Oct. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 584,758 2 Claims. (Cl. 21113) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package display rack which includes a series of spaced, parallel ridges and a pair of upwardly narrowing, hollow, continuous ribs disposed along both sides of said series in a spaced, perpendicular relationship with respect to said ridges.

This invention relates to a package-display rack for positioning a series of uniform, flat packages in an attractive and readily-accessible arrangement for the convenience of the patrons of self-service markets.

One of the conventional product-displays in the refrigerated cabinets of self-service supermarkets is that of the packages of sliced sandwich meats.

The main objects of this invention are: to provide an improved form of display rack for the convenient, attractive and readily-accessible location of the standard-packaged sliced meats in self-service markets; to provide an improved display rack of this kind structured from molded plastic having a series of uniformly-spaced ridges defining intermediate spaces for the upwardly-inclined disposition of the packages to permit the convenient removal of one or more thereof from the rack; to provide in a device of this character which is provided with upstanding hollow elongated ribs whereby the display rack of this invention may be placed in juxtaposition one to the other and be substantially locked one to the other in side-by-side relationship; to provide a device of this character which will permit display of a greater number of articles; and to provide a display rack of this kind of such simple and practical design as to make exceedingly simple and economical the manufacturing and marketing thereof and very satisfactory the use thereof by the market employees and .the patrons.

In the adaptation shown in the accompanying drawing;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display rack constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the rack as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional elevational view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, slightly enlarged, showing in full and dotted outlines two such racks as they may be arranged in side-by-side relationship and be substantially locked together, and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a group of packages positioned on a display rack of this kind in position in a chilling cabinet.

A package display rack embodying the invention preferably comprises a comparatively thin molded plastic sheet, having a series of transverse ridges 7 of substantially equal length extending upwardly from the base 8 and defining a comparable series of spaces 9. At both sides of the series, spaced from and perpendicular to said ridges, there extend continuous ribs 10.

The plastic may be any of the currently-available, conventional products suitable for such form of stable mold- Patented Nov. 5, 1968 ing. In its completed form the over-all dimension is such lengthwise as to permit one of the racks, or a series thereof, to set on the bottom wall of an open top of a conventional refrigeration cabinet such as used in most of the conventional supermarkets for refrigerated, sliced, sandwich meats and/ or similar items.

The ridges 7 here are shown disposed a short distance above the base 8. Such ridges 7 are disposed transversely of the base 8 with uniform spacing lengthwise thereof. Two adjacent ridges 7 define a space 9 that will permit a usual type sandwich meat package product to seat therein and incline slightly rearwardly of a normal to the base 8.

The height of these ridges 7 is sufficient to ensure each such package being retained in an upright, rearwardly inclined position with a spacing between them caused by the bulky sausage meat as will make for easy fingergripping by a patron that desires one or more of a package from the stack (see FIG. 6). Although these ridges 7 are shown with flat tops they could be formed to an acute angle, if desired.

The lateral ribs 10 are provided to permit the positioning of two or more racks side-by-side in a temporarily fixed relationship, as shown in the full and dotted outlines of FIG. 5. Such lateral ribs 10 are spaced apart, transversely of the base 8, enough more than the usual width of the packages, that are to be placed on the rack, as will make for the easy initial positioning of the packages in the rack and later the facile removal thereof by market patrons. The ribs 10 also prevent the packages from an accidentallateral displacement out of the ridges 7. As will be noted from the drawing, the lateral ribs 10 are of a greater height than that of the ridges 7 to better ensure against the aforenoted displacement.

It should be obvious that this type of display rack may be used to display meat packages of the type wherein the base of the package 11 is either square, elongated, circular or whatever shape. Frozen bakery goods, TV dinners, meat pies, etc. may also be displayed on the above rack. Also, non-perishable goods may likewise be displayed in this identical manner where the product is relatively thin.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A package display rack for supporting a plurality of uniform packages in vertically inclined position comprising,

(A) a base,

(B) a series of upwardly protruding ridges of substantially equal length provided in said base and arranged in a spaced, parallel, aligned relationship defining a comparable series of intermediate spaces each dimensioned to seat the edge of a package with the back of the package resting against the adjacent ridge, and

(C) a pair of upwardly protruding and upwardly narrowing hollow, downwardly open parallel ribs provided in said base and continuously extending at both sides of said series in a spaced, perpendicular relationship with respect to said ridges, said ribs adapted to prevent said packages from being displaced laterally out of said series of ridges, one rib of one rack adapted to be fitted into one rib of another rack whereby a plurality of racks may be positioned in an interlocking, side-by-side relationship.

3 2. A package display rack as defined in claim 1, where- 2,158,911 in the height of said ribs is greater than that of said 2,873,859 ridges. 3,200,957

References Cited U UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 12095285 1,588,271 6/1926 Saint .22023.2

2,599,853 6/1953 McClain 22023.4

4 5/1939 Pellar 22023.2 2/1959 Gates 21 141 8/1965 Morin 211-13 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1955 lfrange.

CHANQELLO'RE; A RI Primary xaminer. 

